The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-09-01
VOLUME sXXIII.-.-NO. s.
An Outside View of Charleston Intlu.
enCeS.

An Outside View of Charleston lntlu-
enCeS.
In all business, trades, merchandise,
banking, &C., we look around for the
best, most available man, Intellectually,
to fill all places, of importance and trust.
Men in whom we can place implicit con.
hdence as to their integrity, honesty and
willingness, as shown by their actions in
doing the best they can under the cir.
cumstances for the 'interests, or to
advance the interests Of the individuals,
associations or the enterprise for which
they have been chosen.
In banks, if an officer shows that his
integrity and ability is equal to the posi-.
ton into which his fellow-men have
placed him, is he readily moved to make
place for another favorite? Or is he
retained as long as his efficiency rebounds
to the good of that bank? \ y
Now if this is applicable to banks and
other enterprises, why do we of Fairfield
not apply the same reasoning in our pc.
litical selection of men for our General
Assembly? Ifit holds good in private
enterprises, why will it not do in the
selection OF our legislators and Senators,
in whom we as people are so closely
allied? Their actions in our legislative
halls affect each one of us directly.
Without doubt all measures coming
before that body is or ought to be for the
good of counties separately and the State
at large generally. I say each county
separately, meaning that a law which
work good in Charleston would do evil
in the upper counties. So in selecting
men to represent US in the Legislature,
do you not see that we should take the
best and most available men we have?
When ne have done that, and find out
by their actious in the law.making body
of our State that they are of high tone
of duty, not only to their constituents at
home, but to the State as whole, would
it be wise policy to change them, or
either of them, at the next general cleo
ton which follows? BY substituting
Mr.. B., who has never sat in the legisla.
ture, and certainly will be mere figure.
head for the fret term (so other intelii.
gent statesmen have proclaimed), for Mr..
A., who has served one or two terms, and
thereby gotten into the manner that the
schemes are worked before that body.
Schemes-yes, many-and if not met by
men who can complete by having q
knowledge of the manner in which
things or measures are passed, why the
bill, never mind what its nature, can
never be defeated by 'new men" alone.
Why have three counties in South
Carolina such o welding influence in
our Legislature as they have? Is it
because they change their Representa-
tiyes and Senators every term? No, sir;
they keep their Brawley, Simmons,
Smythe, Murray and such other men
there. Why? Because they are intelli'.
gent, trustworthy gentlemen, who look
closely after the welfare of their constitu.
ents, and by being kept there session after
session have become informed in govern
mental affairs to- such an extent that they
can snuff danger 10 their respective
counties in any measure brought up
apparently for the good of all.
Now form committee of the House of
nine members, three of them old MEM
bers, FIVE of them new, the chairman, Of
course, an old member, then suppose a
bill to be before that committee, on the
one side of which an argument is made
by railroad magnate; he, of course, is
very shrewd, cunning gentleman; he
certainly has his plans, drafts, &C., inge-
niously prepared to gain the ear of the
committee; moreover, be will spare no
pains, not even if be has to secure the
assistance of officials in the building, to
work on the members of that committee
so as to gain his point by carrying a ma.
jority of the votes in his favor; Under
such circumstances how will new men
stand, inexperienced as they are, in COM
parison with the older members? Gould
they detect an effort of the sbrewd rail-
road man intryiDg to get their vote,
simply because it would cause the
railroad to spend few thousand dollars
in constructing a draw.bridge across a
stream so as to enable steamboats, to
ascend or descend it, carrying freights
from one point to another, thereby bene.
fitting the poor farmer to a greater
extent than damaging the railroad in the
change made2 l have been informed
that such an affair has taken place before
one of our Legislatures of not so long
ago, and but for the old members and the
chairman the shrew railroad magnate
would have gained his point, and the
cheapening of freights by water traffic
to the city would have been defeated
Communication to the lYinnsboro' Ne'us
and Herald.
Drought, Disease and Death.